How I Knew Her
by LopezAnnaC
Summary: Jenny's mother reportedly died sometime during the 51st century. This isn't about to stop a girl with a vortex manipulator. A reimagining of "Forest of the Dead," stand-alone or as a sequel to "Dust to Dust."


By Anna Catherine Lopez

Disclaimer: I do not own this show nor these characters.

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**Jenny's mother reportedly died sometime during the 51****st**** century. This isn't about to stop a girl with a vortex manipulator.**

**A reimagining of "Forest of the Dead," stand-alone or as a sequel to ****_Dust to Dust_****.**

* * *

AUTODESTRUCT IN TWO MINUTES.

The countdown booms across the empty core, jolting the Doctor awake.

"Oh no, no, no, no. Come on, what are you doing? That's my job."

"I'm not allowed to have a career, I suppose?"

Jenny stumbles backwards against the shelf for support, the flash of the vortex manipulator disguised by the pulse of emergency lights. Oh, it hurts. Should have waited until they'd worked out all the kinks.

"This is not a joke. Stop this now. This is going to kill you! I'd have a chance; you don't have any."

She rolls her eyes: dear ol' Dad, always so noble.

"You wouldn't have a chance, and neither so I. I'm timing it for the end of the countdown…" Jenny misses the rest, lips quirking from the second shadow she appears to have acquired since leaning against the equipment. With an annoyed sigh, she aims the flare blaster, reducing the Vashta Nerada at her feet to black ash. Honestly, as if she wouldn't come prepared.

AUTODESTRUCT IN ONE MINUTE.

"You wouldn't tell me why, but I suppose you knew it was time. My time. Time to come to the library," her mother's eyes are bright with unshed tears. "There's nothing you can do."

Jenny flicks open the memory drive, inserting it into the processor. It was worth that weekend in Calypso V to "borrow" the technology off that old professor, though if she ever sees another carnival mask it will be too soon.

"Time can be rewritten."

Well, no one will ever accuse the man of not being a romantic.

"Not those times. Not one line. Don't you dare." It's sweet in a way; just met and already madly in love. Thank God someone in the family is a pragmatist.

"You whispered my name in my ear." His tone is pleading; they're down to the wire now. Jenny's fingers fumble to finish the last bit of wiring necessary for the redirection. "There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could."

"Hush, now."

FIVE… FOUR… THREE…

"Spoilers."

TWO… ONE…

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The glare is blinding, Jenny taking advantage of the momentary distraction to strike her father unconscious. The ensuing silence is stifling as Professor River Song considers the tall, blonde girl opposite.

"I'm not dead."

It isn't a question, but Jenny wants to make a good first impression, "No."

"And the people in the library, they're not dead either."

"No." She squirms, feeling the need to add something extra, "Specially-formulated, high-capacity, self-contained external storage device. Handy in a crisis."

She studies Jenny, face unreadable, "And who, may I ask, are you?"

The girl grins recklessly, "Hello, Mom."

* * *

"Why? Why would I give her my screwdriver? Why would I do that? Thing is, future me had years to think about it, all those years to think of a way to save her, and what he did was give her a screwdriver. Why would I do that?" The Doctor peels the shell from the side and shouts, triumphant. "Oh! Oh! Oh, look at that. I'm very good!"

"What have you done?"

"Saved her."

* * *

"He doesn't like endings."

She's having tea. In Cardiff. With her grandmother. Jenny is having tea with her grandmother in Cardiff. She does not know how this day could get any stranger.

"I placed an artificial neural imprint for him."

"You shouldn't have bothered; he'd of left me like a book on a shelf. Not the type to say goodbye."

"Wait, hold it – you're the Doctor's _daughter_?" Grandma Amelia drops a plate of Jammie Dodgers onto the table with more force than strictly necessary. "Melody, is there something you'd like to share with your Mum?"

River snorts while Jenny covers her smile with a hand, "No, Mother, nothing like that. Jenny is the result of a skin sample and a progenation machine. Nothing fun about it," she adds wickedly.

A voice calls from inside, "Hey, do we have company?"

River rises, "Father dear, I'd like you to meet your granddaughter. Jenny, this is your Grandpa Rory."

To his credit, he handles the news with remarkable aplomb.

* * *

"So… are you going to tell him?"

Jenny burrows under the pillows while Grandma Amelia perches by the bedside, smoothing the girl's hair absentmindedly. She supposes her grandmother hasn't gotten a chance to do a lot of this – this "mothering" stuff – with Mom. Somehow Professor Song doesn't strike her as the sort.

"What? That his long-lost daughter traveled back in time to rescue his wife? There is a certain amount of poetic justice in that." Jenny stiffens and her grandma laughs. "No, no, don't worry. Just thinking of old times, when your mum was born."

"Is it better for her to explain then?"

"She's still pretty cross, I think. Dashed off to the university at first chance she got; 'preparing for fall semester' my…" the end of the sentence lost in indiscernible muttering. Her grandmother purses her lips, "This might be the first time they haven't had their diaries ordering them about. Unchartered waters." Her fingers wiggle as she widens hazel eyes. Jenny giggles. "River has never exactly confronted her feelings."

"Nor Da," Jenny adds with just a hint of bitterness.

"No, nor the Doctor." She sighs, "Well, right then. You're welcome to stay with us as long as you'd like. Family and all."

A faint blush tinges the younger girl's cheek: Family. She likes the sound of that.


End file.
